How Can I Stop Blocked Shots?

A block shot is a shot that flies in a straight line to the right of the target for right handed golfers and to the left of the target for left handed golfers - it can also be called a push shot.

Make sure to not confuse the block shot with a slice shot that travels in a similar direction but curves in the air rather than travelling straight. This type of shot is caused when the club head travels from the inside, that is left to right for right handed golfers, across the ball and propels the ball straight in that direction to the right.

The block shot most usually occurs when there is too much lateral (sideways) motion in the legs in the down swing which causes the club to drop on the inside - behind the body when swinging into the ball. This limits the amount of turn through impact and stops the club face rotating correctly at impact, therefore sending the ball off line and out to the side of the target.

To stop this kind of shot, use these simple techniques to stop excessive lateral movement and rotate through the ball correctly:

1. Set up with the feet narrower than normal (approximately a foot apart).
2. Swing at about 75% power.
3. Focus on turning around the front leg through the shot.

The narrow stance and swinging easier will allow more turn during the swing - any lateral movement will make you fall over. The result of this is that the club will swing less from the inside and instead drive straighter down the line to let the hands turn over to square the club face at impact, producing a straighter shot.

Beat the block blues and hit the ball down the fairway more with these simple changes.

Sorry Try Again! - See Explanation Below

Closing the club face (turning it to the left for a right handed golfer) will certainly stop the ball going to the right, however it will not make the ball go in a straight line to the target. This change will make the golf ball curve in the opposite direction either as a draw or a hook shot. Although this may be more desirable than a block shot, be careful as a hook shot can be just as destructive and out of control.

Sorry Try Again! - See Explanation Below

Aiming left at set up (for right handed golfers) does not cure the problem but accommodates it for a short period of time. There are two issues with doing this:
1. You are forcing yourself to play the block shot and so making it harder to change in the long term.
2. If there is water down the left side of the hole and you aim at it intending to block the shot down the middle of the fairway, you can be sure that you will hit a perfect shot straight into the water!

Sorry Try Again! - See Explanation Below

Rotating the hands through the ball aggressively is a way of closing the club face to the left of the target. It does not cure the block shot but puts spin on the golf ball making it curve in the air in the opposite direction. It is difficult to be accurate doing this as getting the timing of the hands correct on a consistent basis is awkward with the common shot becoming a hook shot that curves uncontrollably to the left of the target (for right handed golfers).